Archie Marry Me
Alvvays Lyrics

The song "Archie, Marry Me" by Alvvays is a clever and playful exploration of the themes of love, commitment, and social expectations. The song is built around a sweet, almost childlike melody, and features lead singer Molly Rankin's gentle, wistful vocals. The lyrics tell the story of a young couple who are deeply in love but struggling to find their place in the world. The first verse highlights the fact that the male character in the song is hesitant to get married due to the financial burden it can cause, with the line "You've expressed explicitly your contempt for matrimony. You've student loans to pay and will not risk the alimony". Despite this, the couple is content to spend their days together in their own little bubble, and at night they venture out into the world together to have fun and experience life.

The chorus of the song is a simple and catchy call to action, with the repeated line "Hey, hey, marry me, Archie" representing the female character's desire for a deeper commitment from her partner. In the second verse, the couple is depicted as dreaming of adventure and excitement, with the female character longing to sail out on the Atlantic. She reassures her partner that she is fully committed to him and does not need to explore other possibilities, saying "I won't set my sights on other seas, there is no need to panic". The couple then decides to forego the traditional trappings of a wedding, with the female character urging her partner to simply take her hand and sign some papers, saying "Forget the invitations, floral arrangements and bread makers".

The final verse of the song reflects the anxieties of youth, with the couple worrying that society will judge them for their unconventional lifestyle. They feel caught between the desire to explore the world and the pressure to conform to social norms, with the line "Too late to go out, too young to stay in. They're talking about us living in sin". Despite these concerns, the female character remains steadfast in her desire for commitment from her partner, repeating the chorus once more and spelling out his name with the line "Hey, hey, A-R-C-H-I-E, hey".